The present invention relates to loudspeaker assemblies, and particularly to all-weather type loudspeaker assemblies intended for use outdoors in a position exposed to the elements, while maintaining good acoustical quality.
Outdoor-type loudspeaker assemblies are known in the prior art, but such assemblies are typically of heavy and relatively expensive construction and are characterized by poor quality sound reproduction because the materials of the loudspeaker enclosure which were necessary to insure weatherproof construction were not compatible with high acoustical performance. Furthermore, such prior loudspeaker assemblies have not been truly watertight.
Prior loudspeaker assemblies having multi-layered enclosures of corrugated material are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,953 granted Feb. 5, 1974 to Scott F. Everitt, and in my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 500,597, filed Aug. 26, 1974, entitled "LOUDSPEAKER ASSEMBLY" now U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,345, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. While such loudspeaker assemblies have been highly effective in terms of providing good acoustical properties, the corrugated fiberboard used in the construction of the enclosures is highly susceptible to damage or destruction by water, and thus such prior assemblies have not been suitable for outdoor use where they would be exposed to rain, snow or the like.
Corrugated fiberboard loudspeaker enclosures have been disposed within outer plastic shells, as is my copending application Ser. No. 626,729, filed Oct. 29, 1975, and entitled "ENCLOSURE FOR AUTOMOBILE TRUNK-MOUNTED LOUDSPEAKER", now U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,345 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, but such prior enclosures have been solely for the purpose of protecting the fiberboard from dirt, damage by physical contact and the like, and are neither intended for nor suitable for exposure to moisture.